Having fully turned focus to Iowa, Michigan still taking each game at a time
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Michigan football fan base is anxious, not necessarily because of the challenge Iowa presents — and it does present a challenge — but because these are uncharted waters.
The Wolverines eviscerated Ohio State on Saturday to advance to the Big Ten Championship Game, and while that’s always the expectation, it hasn’t happened since the game was created. Now ranked No. 2 in the penultimate College Football Playoff rankings, if Michigan wins, it’s in.
But, that’s not how the players are looking at it.
The one game at a time mentality continues to reign supreme. Though fans are still celebrating the win over Ohio State, there’s some nervousness about the maize and blue not taking advantage of the prime opportunity set before them. Again, it’s uncharted waters. However, the players know that for the outcome of The Game to really mean something, it has to handle business against No. 13 Iowa on Saturday. If they win that, then they’ll look forward to their next opponent. Win that, then they’ll focus on a national championship.
That’s long been the goal, but to get there, the players are taking it one step at a time.
“Of course that’s one of our goals that we talk about before the season,” fourth-year tight end Luke Schoonmaker said. “No, we haven’t looked that far ahead. We’re really focused on this weekend. Ohio State was the first one, now it’s onto the second one — win the Big Ten title. That’s what we’re focused on.”
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Saturday’s win over the Buckeyes is easily the most emotional one any of these players have had. But, the focus didn’t remain there.
Instead, after the weekend, the sole focus shifted to Iowa, given the stakes of that game.
“I think it was pretty quick,” Schoonmaker said. “Obviously, the best day of our lives this past weekend. But we came back in on Monday and all kinda said the job’s not done. That was the common message with everybody.
“You can feel it, too. Just that (hunger) to keep going.”
The last time either Michigan or Iowa won the Big Ten championship was back in 2004, when they split the honor. In Ann Arbor, winning the conference title had been something of a rite, but it’s one that’s eluded the past 16 teams.
So, for these players, they’re putting everything into it. Ohio State may have been the emotional win of the season, but as mentioned, it doesn’t mean as much if the Wolverines don’t finish the job.
“It means everything. So many of us that have been here have just been working so hard these past few years,” Schoonmaker said. “It means the world to us. We’re off to a great start this week. We’re all so excited.”
With that in mind, what kind of challenge does the Hawkeye defense present?
Iowa’s defense is ranked No. 14 by yards surrendered per game, the second-best defense that the Wolverines will face thus far (Wisconsin is ranked No. 2 in the same metric). Schoonmaker sees a traditional look that executes their assignments to perfection, and haven’t deviated from that which has been rote in Iowa City for decades.
“They’ve been doing the same thing for years,” Schoonmaker said. “They’re traditional and those guys work hard at what they do. They’ve had the coach for a while to do it. They all do their jobs well. That’s what it is.”
The Big Ten Championship Game will kick off at 8 p.m. EST at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The game will be nationally televised on Fox.
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